Pony Express Gold
Flying Monkey Brewing Company

Pony Express GoldPony Express Gold
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From:
Flying Monkey Brewing Company
 
Kansas, United States
Style:
American Adjunct Lager
ABV:
4.25%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.03 | pDev: 11.22%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
13
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 23, 2006
Added:
Mar 19, 2004
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
Fresh lemon grass and citrus notes. Light, smooth and finishing cleanly, this golden beer is enhanced with soy grown in the American heartland.

MALTS: Pale, Vienna, Carastan, Cara-Pils
HOPS: Centennial, Cascade, Hallertau
OTHER FERMENTABLES: Soy
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 12 degrees Plato
TERMINAL GRAVITY: 3.4 degrees Plato
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Ratings by BuckeyeNation:
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Polished gold filled with a large number of fine particulates and capped with a quality head. The eggshell colored foam is firm enough and sticky enough to hang around for a bit and to grace the glass with some stray shards of sudsy lace. All in all, this is a very good 'macro' lager appearance; one that the true macro lagers would kill for.

There's nothing all that distinctive about the nose, though the faint citrusy hoppiness was a nice surprise. I applaud the use of Centennial, Cascade and Hallertau in a beer such as this, but if you're going to use such a kick-ass hop bill, then add enough to make a real difference. No hint of the usual grain/huskiness. For that reason alone, the aroma is above average.

The long, slow slide continues on the palate; possibly because the beer-filled glass has now been sitting in direct sunlight for going on 5 minutes (and started out at my usual 50 degrees). This is one of those beers that is best drunk cold. It's decently pale malty and I would have bet that wheat malt was utilized as well. According to the brewery: no wheat.

Soy is listed as 'other fermentables'. What positive characteristic could soy beans possibly contribute to beer? The citrusiness of the hops is still apparent. Again, though, significantly more would have helped... significantly. A stale graininess is beginning to rear its ugly head and will probably have the run of the place if I let the beer warm any further. Good thing the glass is almost empty.

The mouthfeel is actually better than decent. It's light-medium and holds up well, never even approaching thin or watery. I'm also enjoying the laid-back amount of carbonation and would have no trouble putting away a few of bottles if they were cold and the weather was hot.

Pony Express Gold isn't a head turner, but it is a solid, basic drinker that avoids the worst sins of the better known macros... and delivers a little hoppiness in the bargain. If there was justice in the world (of beer), macro drinkers in Pony Express's distribution area would drink this stuff by the caseload, never glancing in BMC's direction again.
Feb 20, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of ggaughan
Reviewed by ggaughan from Pennsylvania

3.12/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A friend brought this bottle back from a recent trip to Chicago. The beer poured a pretty clear golden color into my pint glass and had a medium head that didn't last very long. The aroma was a bit of a sweet malty aroma combined with a bit of citrus. The taste is not overly exciting but decent with some malty goodness and citrus bite. The body of this beer is fairly light and would make for a pretty drinkable beer.
Apr 23, 2006
Photo of Citadel82
Reviewed by Citadel82 from New Jersey

3/5  rDev -1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This was a perfectly mediocre beer. Very little character one way or another. I do not remember trying it when I was in KC so it must be a relatively new member of the Pony Express line-up. Pours true to its name burnished gold with a short lived one finger head that left no lacing. Faint floral aroma with some biscuit notes. Taste was mild, rather on the fruity side. again a little biscuit but not much. Wouldn't say it is the best of thier beers. I seem to recall their line-up having more flavor.
Aug 13, 2005
Photo of whynot44
Reviewed by whynot44 from Missouri

3.55/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Light/medium bodied, clear golden amber color with a short lived white head.

Mild sweet malt aroma, biscuits, citrus with grassy tones.

Taste is light malt, slightly sweet at first, fresh bread, then finishes with just a touch of hops bite.

Smooth, refreshing, actually very nice.
Jun 29, 2005
Photo of kmpitz2
Reviewed by kmpitz2 from Tennessee

3.37/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Holy explosion batman. When the cap was removed, I knew this was going to be a problem. clvand0 just made it to the glass before the beer shot over the top of the bottle. The beer is right at golden in color, the 4 finger head settles to a finger over the beer. The nose is not that bad at all. Some honey sweetness, little bit of bitter from a light hop and a touch of alcohol. The flavor is not bad either. Honey sweetness and light hop fall into a slightly fruity flavor. The feel is right at moderate, with a light to moderate carb. I think this is a nice lager. The flavor and feel are good.
Feb 28, 2005
Photo of Morris729
Reviewed by Morris729 from Texas

3.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours light golden in color with a short white head that fades into a collar of lace. Nose is sweet grain with notes of fresh cornbread. Fairly light-bodied with a bit of a powdery texture, more so towards the finish, as well as pretty refreshing. Taste begins with sweet honey malts followed by some lightly toasted grains and just a hint of bitter hops. A decent brew for what it is. Would make a suitable “lawnmower beer.” Thanks to bditty187 for the sample!
Nov 14, 2004
Photo of bditty187
Reviewed by bditty187 from Nebraska

2.65/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Clear, gold in hue with just a bit of tawny highlight. The head reached almost two fingers in height but the foamy mass was short-lived as it quickly faded to a fizzy cap. There isn’t much animation, almost none actually. Subsequent lacing was spotty but it didn’t cling all that well. The appearance is ordinary; it looks like a stereotypical “beer.” The nose is heavy on cereal aromas with some sweet husky grain smells; I don’t find them sickly sweet but odd actually. Nutty. This is not a typical rice or corn adjunct beer here, and then I remembered this beer is brewed with soybeans. I can smell no hops and nothing I’d call malt either. The bouquet is unique but not in a flattering way yet I don’t hate it either. It’s not inviting, maybe intriguing? There is no doubt upon drinking Gold this is an Adjunct/Pale Lager. So be it. But it does taste a bit different from B/M/C, I’d say a little better. Is this a great Pils? No. It isn’t trying to be one. The palate is sweet but not gross or cloying. There is no corn in this beer. The sweetness and husky taste comes from soybeans. In the mix is a lightly nutty taste as well as some notes of earthiness from the hops I assume. There is some taste with this beer, which is a plus, and there is even a kiss of bitterness at the finish. By no stretch of the imagination is this beer great; hell I wouldn’t even call it good. It is okay… I wouldn’t drink more than one or two of these mainly because I really don’t care for the aftertaste. It is heavy like wet grains with a wide sweetness that weighs down the tongue. Maybe if the carbonation was stiffer it would lift away some of the flavor residue and make a cleaner beer. The mouthfeel is fair, somewhat sluggish though, medium in body. Yeah, it least it isn’t thin and watery! I could see some people really hating this beer; frankly I’m not sure why I’m not one of them! But hey, how many bottled beers are found in Kansas? I bought a bottle in freaking Brookfield, WI! This beer is found in the land of cheese but not in a neighboring state where it is brewed. WTF? Why I am bitching, I wouldn’t buy Gold if it were found at a local liquor store.
Sep 29, 2004
Photo of elmocoso
Reviewed by elmocoso from Nebraska

2.54/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
A pretty, deep gold with very, very active carb. head is fleeting, then gone. It is kind of blue/off-white. Very corny nose - kind of a wet, spoiled corn. I cant detect much hops. Sweet, acrid taste in the front with a nutty, lingering aftertaste. Long and dry. mouth-feel is decent but i wouldn't drink more than i had to of these.
Aug 04, 2004
Photo of Rio
Reviewed by Rio from Kansas

2.28/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a pale golden with a tall head that is already receeding quite a bit. Carbonation bubbles streaming through it. Smells a bit different, grainy and perhaps a bit of a corn-like smell to it. Metallic taste is the first thing I notice about the flavor. Smooth in the mouth, bit of a carbonation bite.

Decent beer, but the metallic tastes throws me off.
Jul 15, 2004
Photo of DPMomutant
Reviewed by DPMomutant from Missouri

2.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Has a very bubbly and big head, and I didn't pour this all that hard. Does dissipate fairly quickly. Only a few spots of lace left over and a tiny bit on the top. The body itself is a semi-pourous gold and it's a good enough looking pale lager.

Smells a bit metallic and a bit corny like many macros. More malt than those macros though so that's a bit of a plus.

This does have many of the taste qualities of macro lagers except that it has some extra malt qualities. No hops detectable in the taste.

The carbonation is moderate and bitterness is non-existent. Finish is very smooth.

This is very drinkable on a hot day but not any other time. Not harsh or filling but not very eventful either. For my money I'd probably rather have PBR. I've had worse but can easily find better.
Jul 07, 2004
Photo of jimdkc
Reviewed by jimdkc from Missouri

3.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a bright, clear gold, with a fine, white head that quickly fades. Malty/grainy aroma. Malt apparent in flavor, but so is corn-like adjuncts. Mildly hopped. Surprisingly fresh tasting and easy to drink, though. Unremarkable mouthfeel. An enjoyable beer... definitely better than a light beer or a macro brew! Not bad... but not as good as the same brewery's Rattlesnake Pale Ale.
May 06, 2004
Photo of cokes
Reviewed by cokes from Wisconsin

3.16/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Clear, brassy golden under a diminishing white lace.
Husky, grain dominated nose, touched with honey and corn-syrup.
Enters the mouth modestly malty with an introverted pils base. Turn toasty for a moment, before sweetening up. More of the honey/corn syrup as predicted by the aroma. Ends grainy, accompanied with a powdery, metal-kissed herbal bitterness. Hallertau, and something more American. If the hopping could take a stand here, then we might be talking. It just needs assertiveness.
Even though I liked this...a little, in the end, this probably gets dumped in the macro-esque pale lager compost pile.
Mar 20, 2004
Photo of brewQ
Reviewed by brewQ from Missouri

3.1/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours a nice honey color; the fine bubbly head drops quickly.
Not much here for the olfactory sense.
Taste struck me as somewhat metallic- could that be the Soy which the farmer owners add to this beer?
The mouthfeel is fleeting and grainy yet it is an oddly drinkable brew.

I'm hoping for more from this interesting brewery's other offerings. Also plan to see the brewery/party room.

wwww.ponygold.com
Mar 19, 2004
Pony Express Gold from Flying Monkey Brewing Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 13 ratings